Last updated: 8/23/2013
Gray, Maine
Street Address
Shaker and Yarmouth Rd
Gray, ME 04039
Mailing Address
PO Box 544
Gray, ME 04039
phone: 207-657-4783
web: www.grayhistorical.org

Hours

The Museum is open on special 'Open House' days or by request.

Staff

Karen Taylor
phone: 207-657-4783
e-mail:
Description

For many years the collection was housed on the top floor of Stimson Memorial Hall on Shaker Road, Gray. In 1978 the move was made to the second floor of Pennell Institute, where it remained until 2009. The collection was then moved to the current location in the old fire barn on Main Street.

Our museum is located in the old Gray fire barn at Gray Corners in Gray, ME.

Meetings

The Gray Historical Society meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM. Meetings during winter months are at the Gray First Congregational Church Parish House. During the summer, the society meets at the Maine Street Fire Barn (Home of the Historical Society). Meetings feature business and/or programs of special interest and everyone is welcome.

Mission

Our purpose is to "collect, preserve, and to share the history of the Town of Gray and the State of Maine".

History

The Gray Historical Society was founded on June 6, 1962 as a community project by Gray Grange.

Artifact Collections

Here you will find collections of pictures, books, letters, manuscripts, and a variety of artifacts of historical or public interest.

-Memorabilia of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, 1914-1933
-Items from Pennell Institute from 1878
-Mayall Woolen Mills from the 1790's
-Collection of 19th century wood tools, household articles and clothing
-many other items from the past
Governance

The Society was incorporated in 1973.

Services

The Museum is housed in the Old Fire Barn located on Main street, courtesy of The Town of Gray. Sole support for the Society comes from our members, donations, and sales of the following:

1. History Records, Recollections of Gray, Maine by George T. Hill. $35.00. Proceeds from the sales of this hardcover book go to the Dry Mills Schoolhouse fund. A new order has arrived!

2. Images of America, Gray, Maine by Louise Knapp for the Gray Historical Society. Published in 1999 as part of the softcover Arcadia series on America's towns. $18.99

3. Note cards with sketches representing four different views of Gray in the mid-1800's. Assorted set of 12 cards, $2.00

4. Bronze medallions of the Town Seal and the Bi-Centennial emblem on a necklace chain, $10.00

5. Historical map of old Gray, $10.00

6. T-shirts with Town Seal and first Woolen Mill, $10.00

Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Exhibitions
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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